MANCHESTER– What do we have at the end of one of the great Premier League matches? An emphatic testament to Arsenal’s defensive prowess, as if it were needed. Manchester City’s tirelessness came to life as John Stones became the first blue shirt in what felt like a lifetime to finish second after a first ball. Above all, perhaps this is the moment when a titanic rivalry really took off.
Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta embraced at the final whistle as if this was all a game for them, playing hostilities as only friends can. For those on the Etihad pitch, there was nothing playful about the three or more set-tos between red and sky blue shirts. Over the preceding 90 minutes, these players had developed an occasionally deep dislike for each other. A match that had lasted all four seconds before the first Stramash ended in the 98th minute, Erling Haaland cowardly lobbed the ball at the back of Gabriel’s head, as the man who had been perhaps Arsenal’s most remarkable match-winner mourned a last sighing hammer blow. .
Perhaps the emnity had begun earlier. At the end of last season, Rodri had made headlines by claiming that Arsenal had not really wanted to win on their last visit to the home of the champions. Arteta and his players will no doubt have noticed the enthusiasm with which City celebrated their own point, a point they earned despite themselves after 52 minutes in which they seemed to have no idea how to break a ten-man block. Before anything else, Rodri seemed destined to be the story of the game; he and Kai Havertz seemingly planned to cause a collision with themselves from the kick-off. Instead, the Spaniard was a distraction, although the injury he suffered early in the first half is as significant as a knee injury can be, but perhaps his collision with Thomas Partey is the incident that will have the biggest impact on the title race.
“Rodri is strong,” said Guardiola, who insisted he had not spoken to his club’s medical staff about the extent of the problem. “When he leaves the field, he feels something. Otherwise he stays there.”
With Rodri in the team, City had been sensational, as good as they had been in years. He was far from the only player who excelled, but he was the star of the show. Not far behind was Savinho, whose brilliant first touch took him away from Riccardo Calafiori and created space for Haaland to attack. His tenth goal of the season, his hundredth in 105 City games, was the inevitable result. Had Rodri stayed on the pitch, the hosts could have maintained the control that led to such good chances.
The Spaniard’s absence was clearly felt in many facets, a little more height defensive set play, a player who can shoot the ball in from distance. Without him the champions seemed beatable. That may well be the case, albeit under controversial circumstances.
Michael Oliver would soon be placed at the center of the proceedings. First he called on Kyle Walker, inadvertently creating space for Arsenal to release Gabriel Martinelli. Guardiola was at pains to point out that City had been able to absorb the danger, that Walker had put himself back in the defensive line before Martinelli rolled the ball back to Calafiori, who did well enough to get a left-footed shot out with the ball in. an awkward position out of his stride. What he got was a howitzer. Ederson never came close.
If Walker may have felt badly attacked by Arsenal’s first game, he had only himself to blame for the second. The City captain was tasked with marking a player who has scored more Premier League goals from corners than Manchester United since arriving in England, someone who had already been fascinated by Jeremy Doku. He only offered a few pokes and slaps. That’s not nearly enough to slow Gabriel’s relentless rumbling into Bukayo Saka’s corner.
The stage was set for a better match than Etihad’s. Arsenal’s pugnacious backline and their sweating the small stuff were ruthlessly captivating, enough to make this an instant classic, even if it became a bit one-note after the first half. the hot buzz of great Premier League matches. The fighting spirit with which Arsenal defended their goal was extremely captivating. Another 45 minutes of these two attacking each other promised to be transcendent.
Arsenal had the lead, City the territory. Could Martinelli continue to blow past Walker? Could Calafiori get a grip on Savinho? We’ll never know. True to the letter of the law, Leandro Trossard kicked the ball away shortly after Oliver blew for a foul on Bernardo Silva. Arteta was one of many to note that Doku had gone unpunished for something similar earlier in the first half.
“It’s so obvious there’s no need to comment on it,” Arteta said.
He would then feel compelled to comment on it. This was the second time in three league games that an Arsenal player was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball. Referees had instructed players before the start of the season that this would be curtailed. They have not yet explained why all but the most egregious cases – few would argue that Declan Rice’s or Trossard’s were – had to be addressed. No one in the game was clamoring for something to be done about the plague of balls being rolled a few feet away.
In light of referee chief Howard Webb pointing out more yellows should have been given for kicking the ball, Arteta is entitled to feel that from now on every instance should result in a penalty. “I expect 100 games in the Premier League this season, 10-a-side or nine-a-side,” he said. “I want to be involved in a match at this level that puts the game in a situation where we can play.” enjoy it and talk about it the right way. We’re not talking about that. You didn’t ask me any tactical questions.’
In the media’s defense – and as one of those who didn’t pick apart the tactics – there was so much more that needed to be addressed. With a lead to protect, Ben White was sent through despite his injury. Arteta acknowledged afterwards that it would take “a miracle” for his side to get anything out of the game. “What I can tell you is that if you play 56 minutes against this team with 10 men, 99 times out of 100 you are going to lose, with a lot of goal difference.”
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Instead, Arsenal were left to rue what could have happened. Their 5-4-0 truly produced one of the best attacks in the world, leading to a series of increasingly desperate long shots. The shot map above is what City created with a man advantage, 97% possession and some of the best attacking talent in the Premier League. Guardiola would note that City did well to keep the ball in play and refuse to commit fouls that could disrupt the rhythm, but even he had to admit that the goal and the hopes of Ruben Dias and Mateo Kovacic were not ideal were. points for their attacks.
Ultimately, one opening would break the way for City, with assistant striker John Stones pouncing on the rebound after the last of Kovacic’s four shots had bounced through the penalty area. Understandably there is jubilation at the Etihad Stadium. They had been distracted by Arsenal.
Havertz may not have completed a pass, but he infuriated every City player he came into contact with. Walker was so frustrated with Martinelli in the first half that he pretended to throw a ball at him. Haaland didn’t even feint. The ecstasy was all the greater because Arsenal had been furiously cynical and every dead ball was seemingly the occasion for a red shirt to go into cramp. David Raya in particular was involved in his spectacular saves in such brutal play that you almost wondered if Emiliano Martinez had been back in his old spot.
City will remember all that, just as Arsenal’s fire will be fueled by the flashpoints before and after Stones’ dramatic late equalizer. What once threatened to be a tepid rivalry defined by mutual respect and all-too-similar tactics has now come to life. The remains of the friendly rivalry are ashes. February 1 and the Emirates Stadium meeting can’t come soon enough.